Understanding Mental Health 

Anxiety causes overwhelming feelings of worry or fear – often about something that may happen in the future and it is one of the most common mental health conditions in the UK.  

When an individual experiences anxiety for a long period of time, it can lead to a negative impact on their metal and physical wellbeing. Common symptoms can include tiredness, decreased concentration, heart palpitations, regularly headaches and dizziness.  

It may be recommended to seek support when your anxiety does not dissipate or if you have regular feelings of anxiety. It is also recommended you speak to your GP if your worrying is having an impact on your mental and physical health. You may find anxiety can cause you to avoid social interactions or impact your work – again this could indicate you will benefit from seeking support.

Depression is a condition which causes an individual to feel persistently low and can impact their enjoyment for life and cause a loss of interest. This mental health condition can be caused by numerous factors, including stressful life events, genetic factors, serious health conditions, trauma, giving birth, and other mental health conditions.  

Common symptoms can include fatigue, feelings of isolation and disconnect with loved ones. You may also experience low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness and negative thoughts about the future. Often it can be difficult to manage your emotions, and some can have thoughts of harming themselves, which could be a sign of severe depression.  

Depression can affect all areas of an individual’s life, and as it impacts your cognitive function, it can make identifying if you have depression more difficult. That’s why it is important to speak to a professional, even if you are unsure if you have depression. Talking to someone is the first step. You can reach out to your GP, call or text a helpline, complete a self-referral to NHS talking therapy or start with talking to someone close to you.  

Bipolar affective disorder, also known as bipolar disorder, is a mental health condition that causes severe mood instability – which can range from depression to elation. This is a long-term condition which impacts the person’s daily life. However, with specialised support, symptoms and mood swings can be managed. 

The periods of alternating moods are known as episodes, and these are the types: 

• Manic episodes: Abnormally high mood, which makes managing your daily tasks difficult 

• Hypomanic episodes: High emotions but not as intense as emotions felt during manic episodes, which means people are more able to complete daily tasks 

• Depressive episodes: Experience of low mood and loss of interest in things that usually bring joy 

• Mixed episodes: Experiencing both high and low moods alternating quickly 

There are two main types of bipolar disorder – Type one is when the person has at least one severe manic episode and may also have severe depression. Type two is if you’ve had at least one episode of severe depression and one episode of hypomania.  

It is recommended to seek support for your local GP if you feel you have bipolar disorder.  

Obsessive Compulsion Disorder, also known as OCD is a mental health condition which causes an individual to have obsessive thoughts, compulsive behaviours or intrusive thoughts. OCD can be distressing to the individual and impact their daily life. However, treatment including cognitive behavioural therapy and medication can help.  

Common obsessions may include fear of contamination, harming yourself or others, fixation on how things are arranged, superstition or unwanted sexual thoughts. Additionally, people may experience compulsions including, repetitive behaviours of checking things – this may be checking doors are locked numerous times or electronics are switched off. It is also common for people to repeatedly clean – whether this be themselves or items around them.  

OCD can also cause people to touch or arrange items in a particular way, hoard/collect items and experience mental compulsions – repeating words in a particular manner or way. 

OCD severity can range from mild to severe and if you feel you may have OCD which requires support, please seek professional help. 

Panic disorder is a form of anxiety, which involves an individual having regular panic attacks – a feeling of intense anxiety. Panic disorder causes the individual to have regular panic attacks, often with no clear cause. This can result in the individual constantly feeling anxious about having another panic attack.  

Although the cause of panic disorder isn’t clear, there are factors that can increase the risk of panic disorder. This includes, genetic factors, stressful life events, anxiety, substance misuse, change in how your brain reacts to danger and suddenly stopping medication.  

There are a variety of options to seeks support if you feel you have panic disorder. To learn more about your support options, please reach out to your local GP.

PTSD is a mental health condition that is triggered by an individual experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. The conditions can be caused immediately or there can be a delayed onset of the condition. Common symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares and images relating to the traumatic event. PTSD can also cause an individual to relive the physical and mental reaction originally experienced during the event. Treatment for PTSD can include talking therapies and medication. If you feel you need support for PTSD, please speak to a professional, such as your GP. 

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol misuse or problem drinking is when an individual becomes reliant on alcohol and regularly drinks more than the recommended alcohol limit. If alcohol is not available to them, this can lead to feelings of anxiety and agitation.  

People living with alcoholism may find they drink in secrecy or start increasing the amount they drink to get the same effect, and they may struggle to stop drinking alcohol. The need for alcohol can lead to a negative impact on the individual’s life as they may lose interest in things they previously enjoyed. It can also impact their mental and physical wellbeing.  

If you want support with managing alcoholism, please speak to your GP.